News

Memphis in May

Food Network, Sunday, June 19

8 p.m.

This intriguing documentary travels to Memphis for the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest. The three-day event attracts more than 100,000 people each year, and includes such surreal activities as hog-calling, a hot-wings competition and the annual Ms. Piggy contest. Most attendees are there for the food, however, and the competing chefs are divided into the "Patio Porkers" (amateur barbecue chefs) and the "Big Hogs" (professional chefs). The consumption of scorched meat is, of course, beyond human comprehension. It's one of those programs that must be seen to be believed.

The Thirsty Traveler

Fine Living Channel, Monday, June 20, 6 p.m.

Host Kevin Brauch takes a wine-lover's sojourn through B.C.'s Okanagan Valley. The varied climate has earned the Okanagan the rightful reputation as one of the pre-eminent wine regions in Canada. The area's unique climate makes it one of the few regions capable of producing French and German vinifera grapes, which are transformed into world-class wines ranging from rich reds to lively whites. Brauch tours some local wineries and even squeezes in a boat trip on Lake Okanagan in hopes of catching a glimpse of the mythical creature known as Ogopogo.

Pilot Guides

OLN, Thursday, June 23, 6 p.m.

Host Megan McCormick helms this extended trek through Egypt. Her journey begins in Cairo, where she receives a tour of the most notable monuments and spends hours wandering through the sprawling bazaar of Khan al-Khalili. Her next destination is the mosque at Ibn Tulun, which is allegedly the spot where Noah's Ark came to rest. Naturally, McCormick visits Cairo's most famous tourist attraction: the Great Pyramids at Giza, located just outside the city. The next leg in her trip takes her to the remote oasis town of Siwa, situated near the Libyan border, where she inexplicably becomes part of a local gent's bachelor party. The program's highlight comes after McCormick's five-day desert trek to Luxor, which includes a hot-air balloon ride and some truly spectacular aerial scenery.

Don't Forget Your Passport

OLN, Friday, June 24, 7 p.m.

Host David Rocco learns why Costa Rica is widely regarded as the jewel of Central America. As per his earlier jaunts, Rocco works in as many activities as possible. He takes a walking tour through the famed cloud forest of Monteverde and volunteers for a cable ride through the forest canopy. His adventure includes a stopover on the shimmering golden beaches in the Gulf of Nicoya and a tour through a region rife with still-active volcanoes. The last stage of his trip takes Rocco to the border with Nicaragua, where he visits a wildlife reserve where several endangered species -- from scarlet macaws to jaguars -- roam freely.